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Thursday, September 5, 2013

More Rome II ramblings

Thoughts on Rome II after being Top50, now in Top100 because I actually go to work.

All archer units are pretty weak in a game where the heaviest of infantry have strong armor, or formations that increases armor. Not only that, but the units move fast and the range of most missile troops are 125.

Only really heavy missile based armies have much effect, but a lot of the MP maps have random weather conditions and terrain that reduces their effectiveness (such as fog, rain, heavy brush, dense trees).

The same applies here for artillery units: Half of the maps do not favor the use of artillery so they can be a huge points sink. All you have to do is look at the map, see what you random into, what kind of terrain you'll be fighting in, and adjust accordingly.

Elite infantry are superior to other infantry: They have superior stats, strong abilities, resilient to missile troops, are not unit capped, and have the same amount of bodies as a regular unit. There's no reason to take any other unit. Just form a line with Royal Spartans, Oathsworn and Praetorian Guard.

Foot Companion are kind of ridiculous; they hands down beat every unit in the game from the front. What's their counter? Flank and rear charges once the pikes themselves have been engaged. What counters that? Just a little bit of micro and a IQ over 45.

Lancer units are pretty trash overall. Their pitiful melee defense, relatively low armor overall, and their overall impact on the battlefield is not worth their cost. They will charge into other units, do damage sure, but other units with above average melee defense and armor will just swing back and make up for the damage done. Once you're in combat, you also can't pull out; you'll lose half of your guys just trying to run out of combat.

Also, all cavalry run at the same speed from what I've noticed. The pricing of the Roman units are a joke. Why would you ever take Praetorians over Praetorian Guard? Or Evocati Cohort vs. Armored Legionaries?

So what do we have here? A game of rock paper scissors where none of it really matters. If Archers are paper, they sure the hell don't kill the rocks which are all the heavy elite infantry. If Scissors are the Lancers, then these must be safety scissors because they don't do jack. And then we have Foot Companions, which might as well be a shotgun assuming you're terrible.

Some of best units in the game so far from what I've noticed:
Foot Companions, Hellenic Royal Guard, Praetorian Guard, Oathsworn, Swordmasters, Royal Spartans, Noble Horse, Aspis Companion Cavalry, Praetorian Cavalry